“The sports city of Oviedo? It was the most commented of the week around here. I have the chickens right there! The other day I went to feed them and my husband told me: ‘I don’t know what they do there, what’s movement’. I passed by and there was the mayor and a lot of people in suits.” Marisa Bada speaks, retired, former worker of La Gruta and an authorized voice in the parish of Latores: more than 40 years residing just a few meters from where Oviedo will build its new sports city. It is a very quiet residential area, with a nearby restaurant and several chalets.
The neighbors – few – greet each other by name. Also the walkers. Many come daily from Oviedo to stretch their legs: from the Christ it takes about twenty minutes walking. The environment is very calm. “Here you live wonderfully, although for some time now more cars pass by at rush hour at the Santo Ángel school,” dissects Bada, before entering the heart of the sports city, the star issue of the moment for the residents. “I, as a resident of Latores, am delighted that Oviedo has made a sports city here. I only ask that they make good access. In addition, there will not be much movement for the area, which is not building a football stadium”, explains this neighbor. “The people of the neighborhood see it very well. We are all very happy because it can animate the area and it can imply some improvement for the residents,” emphasizes the neighbor, who already has a unique link with the future works: she feeds every day about 40 chickens that are on a farm located between two of the plots where the sports city will be located, right next to a narrow stone path. The building belongs to another owner, but the woman from Oviedo takes care of the pitas.
Bernabé Díaz, from Ibias, lives in Oviedo and walks through Latores every week. He knows the whole area inside out. “I have been coming since the pandemic broke out, because it is very quiet. It is not filled with walkers because there are no sidewalks, but it is good to walk here,” he explains. Díaz has been mulling over how a sports city would fit in Latores for some time. “As soon as I read it in the newspaper, it seemed very good to me, because this area has many plots and there is space to take advantage of them. The area could be encouraged with something related to sports and that is positive. In addition, it will benefit the owners of other farms , because they will be revalued “. Díaz leaves a request: “That the works begin as soon as possible.”
Behind comes Emilio Álvarez, a Galician from Ourense who has been in the Asturian capital for 19 years. A resident of the Montecerrao neighborhood, he walks almost every day through Latores at a medium pace. “We walkers all know each other and this week we talked a lot about the news about the sports city. Everyone I’ve spoken to agrees that it’s a great initiative for this area, even a before and after,” says Álvarez, who Like the rest of the interviewees, he expects speed in the most important project in Oviedo.